Chapter 93: The Previous Generation

I heard it was this young lady who said my daughter made excellent tea, which is why she was borrowed by the Plum Garden.

How could a servant girl from Liangshan dare to offend a favorite concubine of the Marquis’s household?

Gu Lun Kai whispered from beside:

“It certainly wasn’t by leveraging someone else’s influence.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Bai Shi and Ping Mei.

He was implying that Ping Mei had flattered his mother-in-law to get Qing Zhi ordered around.

Gu Yan Kai paused briefly, then understood the implication, fixing a sharp look on Bai Shi.

Xu Zai Zhang shook his head beside him, feeling this family was beyond redemption.

Bai Shi closed her eyes and said:

“Madam Chang, you speak.”

After bowing to everyone in the hall, Madam Chang said:

“The first time something is borrowed, the borrower must not use it without the owner’s consent—did anyone beg you to borrow it?”

“You’re just a concubine of the Marquis’s household, just like me and this young maid—we’re all servants. What right do you have to dispose of her? If Lady Yu wanted to humiliate you, he could simply refuse to lend you anyone!”

“Isn’t the true mistress of this Marquis’s inner quarters Lady Bai and Lady Xu?”

“Didn’t you bind this young maid to curry favor with someone in the Marquis’s household?”

Hearing Madam Chang’s words, Gu Lun Kai and Mei You Lian both showed signs of discomfort.

Gu Yan Kai, watching his fifth brother’s expression, already understood the general situation and was about to confront them.

But seeing Mei You Lian’s face, Gu Yan Kai helplessly closed his eyes.

All these years of longing—he simply couldn’t bear to let go.

“Father, let’s end this matter here, lest it escalate and harm Brother’s imperial examination prospects,” Gu Tingye stepped forward and bowed.

Hearing his second son’s words, Gu Yan Kai glanced at Gu Ting Yu and said:

“Let the First Lady handle matters within the inner quarters.”

With that, he rose and walked toward the courtyard gate.

At that moment, Xu Zai Jing bowed deeply and said: “Uncle, please wait—I have a humble request.”

Gu Yan Kai stopped and said: “What is it? Speak.”

“The Plum Garden has infringed upon my elder sister’s name—why not rename it Green Lotus Garden?”

“Absurd!”

Saying this, Gu Yan Kai swept his sleeve and left the courtyard.

Mei You Lian bowed to everyone and followed him out.

The old woman, whose death remained mysterious, was also carried away.

Xu Zai Jing and his second brother Zai Zhang stayed in Bai Shi’s courtyard for a while, exchanged a few more words with their elder sister and Bai Shi, and of course, no constables or coroners were summoned.

Then the two of them took their leave.

As they departed, they saw Qing Zhi—the beautiful young maid who had suffered, nearly bound and dragged to a bed.

Seeing Xu Zai Jing, Qing Zhi bowed respectfully.

“Were you afraid?”

Qing Zhi glanced at the Zhu family’s wife, who had protected her and intervened on her behalf, and replied solemnly:

“No, not with Sister Zhu by my side.”

“You must be more cautious in the future.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

He glanced at Qing Xia and added: “Keep it up.”

Qing Xia bowed low.

With that, Xu Zai Jing continued walking out.

Gu Ting Yu followed him out.

“Third brother, Fifth brother, wait for me!”

Gu Ting Yu called out from behind, dismissing his attendants Gu Tingye and You Qing.

Xu Zai Zhang wanted to stop, but Xu Zai Jing pulled him along, walking faster and faster.

Ping Mei, watching from behind, grew anxious and waved her handkerchief:

“Why won’t Third and Fifth wait for their brother-in-law? Really!”

Qing Xia said nothing, but thought to herself: Their relationship truly is harmonious.

Soon, they reached the main gate of the Gu household. Though Gu Ting Yu had recovered and practiced swordsmanship daily, he was still no match for Xu Zai Jing.

Xu Zai Zhang was also breathless from being dragged—he wanted to stop, but couldn’t, as if pulled by a galloping horse.

From afar,

the group struggled, moving from the inner courtyard to the main gate, until Xu Zai Jing slowed near the roadside.

Gu Ting Yu told Xu Zai Zhang to ride ahead to the Xu residence to inform his parents, then pulled Xu Zai Jing into the carriage prepared by the Gu household.

When he couldn’t budge Xu Zai Jing, he could only bow repeatedly,

feigning shock at Xu Zai Jing’s arrogance, as if begging for forgiveness—Xu Zai Jing, expression stern, stepped into the carriage.

Qing Yun and You Qing mounted horses and followed behind.

Inside the carriage,

thick leather lined the interior for warmth, embroidered with brocade.

Gu Ting Yu glanced at Xu Zai Jing, took several deep breaths, and no longer looked frantic.

Xu Zai Jing also dropped his stern expression, studying Gu Ting Yu with keen interest.

He knew Gu Ting Yu possessed near-supernatural insight, thanks to memories he’d brought from his past life.

But others had no such knowledge.

Gu Ting Yu’s personal attendant, You Qing, felt as if his very soul were exposed whenever his master’s gaze fell upon him.

Gu Tingye, meanwhile, had never been manipulated by his elder brother’s casual words into near-despair—he only knew his brother wrote beautiful calligraphy and read books well.

Among other noble families, Gu Ting Yu was merely seen as an ambitious young scholar who ranked eighth in the prefectural exam—hardworking, perhaps, but certainly not exceptional, since he hadn’t even topped the exam.

Over the years, Gu Yan Kai, preoccupied with military affairs, had paid little attention to his eldest son.

Bai Shi sensed something, but assumed the boy had matured early due to losing his mother so young.

Thus, few knew of Gu Ting Yu’s innate talent for reading people and understanding worldly affairs.

“You let me make such a spectacle in your home—aren’t you afraid they’ll think I’m too arrogant?” Xu Zai Jing asked.

“Your reputation as the ferocious Fifth Lord of the Xu family has long spread throughout Bianjing—and you’re famously protective of your sister. Besides, some people want the Ningyuan Marquis household to fall into chaos!”

“So you used my young maid as bait? When did you first suspect the woman in Green Lotus Garden?” Xu Zai Jing asked.

“Don’t say ‘my’—she’s now a servant of the Gu household! Protected by the Zhu family’s wife, she’ll be fine. And I didn’t suspect her until I overheard something in the corridor,” Gu Ting Yu replied.

Xu Zai Jing gave him a look that said, “You’re joking.”

Gu Ting Yu insisted: “I swear, I’m not lying!”

Xu Zai Jing remained silent, staring fixedly at him—until Gu Ting Yu, unable to maintain the act, admitted:

“I really did overhear it. The key was my father’s longtime attendant, Qi Sheng—he had family troubles, and I arranged for your grandfather in Yangzhou to help resolve them; he was on Bai’s boat.

The day my father returned to Bianjing, he met this woman—and from that moment, I knew everything, but I never told my mother.

Unfortunately, as a marquis’s legitimate son, I couldn’t uncover her origins—but she’s certainly connected to the Qin family.”

“Then what is the Qin family’s motive in sending her here? Just to gain your family’s wealth?” Xu Zai Jing asked curiously.

“I’ve gathered some clues—it’s likely about harming others, seizing wealth, or seizing power. I suspect jealousy too.”

Xu Zai Jing said: “Tell me these ‘clues’—perhaps I can deduce more. But jealousy? Who’s jealous?”

Gu Ting Yu said: “The reason my father treats her so kindly is because she resembles my mother in so many ways. Jingge, can you deduce anything from that?”

Xu Zai Jing replied: “Either someone from your mother’s family, the Dongchang Marquis House, guided her—or someone who once served your mother.”

“Exactly. According to Qi Sheng, this woman even matches my mother’s personality, fashion sense, and most importantly, her perfume—just as she was before marriage! It’s likely both factors are at play.”

“So the Dongchang Marquis House wants to mend ties with your family by pleasing your father?” Xu Zai Jing asked, puzzled.

“A mix of soft and hard tactics. Qi Sheng has already informed your grandfather—this woman was taken into the household during mourning.”

Xu Zai Jing frowned, his eyes filled with disbelief:

“How could they? Those who know will say your father took her in—but those who don’t will claim she was forcibly seized during mourning! If the Censorate hears of this, they’ll surely impeach him!”

“That’s precisely why I mentioned jealousy. After this incident, I questioned one of my father’s concubines—she was once my mother’s personal maid. Under pressure, she revealed a dark secret of the Qin family.”

Gu Ting Yu looked at Xu Zai Jing and said:

“

Jingge, you’re sensible—I won’t hide it from you. According to this concubine, I believe my uncle harbored improper desires toward my mother.

After my mother married into the Gu family, my uncle frequently visited the Gu household.

The Gu family, founders of the dynasty, have always been powerful military nobles. But the Qin family had already begun declining when my mother married in—and have only worsened since.”

Xu Zai Jing fell silent, realizing: He envied the Marquis’s power, envied him for marrying Lady Qin, and envied the Gu family’s prosperity.

He then bowed to Gu Ting Yu, silently thanking him for trusting him so deeply.

Coming from a noble household with clean morals, Xu Zai Jing simply couldn’t fathom such filth within the Dongchang Marquis House.

Xu Zai Jing pondered further: “Could this woman be the Qin family’s…”

Future chapters will be carefully reviewed—no more abrupt breaks!

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(End of Chapter)